I asked the minister last week, in specific reference to the binding policy direction embedded in the legislation, whether it would interfere with assessment. I think we've already answered this question, from your perspective, and know that it's not interfering with assessments.
The minister went on to affirm that the binding policy direction :
[I]n regard to policy direction, any policy direction first would have to be consistent with the land claims agreement and legislation, in this case the Umbrella Final Agreement and the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act.
I know this question was posed specifically in the Senate hearings to Daryn Leas, who was providing technical advice. We talked about the implications for land claims and whether or not they would prevail over territorial legislation. He testified in the Senate:
It is true our land claim agreements would prevail over federal or territorial legislation.... [T]hose amendments technically are not affecting the final agreement, or maybe even the fact that the final agreement is going to prevail....
How much confidence do you have, under section 35 of the Constitution Act, under the UFA, under each self-government agreement, and indeed under the proposed sections embedded in Bill S-6 at this current point that refer back to each and every one of those agreements and from the minister's own comments to the committee, that the Umbrella Final Agreement will prevail in respect to these amendments?
I'm sure anybody who is technical is going to respond to that.